Part 4, Chapter 1 Notes from On the Road

On the Road Part 4, Chapter 1

Sal comes into money from selling his book and wants to leave again because it is springtime. For the first time, he leaves Dean alone. Dean is working as a parking lot attendant again, losing his mind smoking too much pot and looking at naked women on dirty playing cards. He is still with Inez and talks about his future with her, but has to spend a good part of his pay to Camille to support their children. Dean and Sal still go out together.

"'Inez loves me; she's told me and promised me I can do anything I want and there'll be a minimum of trouble. You see, man, you get older and troubles pile up. Someday you and me'll be coming down an alley together at sundown and looking in the cans to see.'"Part 4, Chapter 1, pg. 251

Dean talks about being a bum forever, because the pace of life is less dictated and he wants to deal with life as it comes to him. He got a letter from his father in Seattle who wants to see some of his grandchildren. Dean mentions he has a sister he wants to find, but then gets quiet. Later, they go back to Sal's aunt's place and watch baseball on TV. They play baseball and basketball outside with kids. Back inside, Dean pays Sal's aunt back for the speeding ticket from so many months before. She is surprised and tells him to stay married and not have children all over. Sal hopes that Dean will still be in New York when he returns. "All I hope, Dean, is someday we'll be able to live on the same street with our families and get to be a couple of oldtimers together." Part 4, Chapter 1, pg. 254. Dean takes out pictures of Camille and the baby and talks about Ed Dunkel being back together with Galatea. They say goodbye.